Corn-planter.



PATBNTED MAY 17, 1904.

J. W. WHITE.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLIOATIOH FILED NOV.19. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 17, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,045, dated May 1'7, 1904.

Application filed November 19, 1903. Serial No. 181,793. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH W. Wrrrrlaa citizen of the United States, residing at Brighton, in the county of Washington and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to corn-planters intended to be used without check-row wires or the like, and particularly to the marking devices and devices for correcting alinement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of so much of a corn-planter as is neoessaryto show my devices in operative position. lines 22, 3 3, 4 4:, respectively. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a certain marker. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing a certain friction-producing spring-disk hereinafter mentioned.

The planter illustrated involves a main frame A, supported by wheels B and a wheeldriven axle C and having the usual front or runner frame D and ordinary attachments hinged to its forward end. Upon the axle is mounted a disk E, provided with lugs E, which act, through devices without novelty, to rock a dropper-shaft E Primarily the disk is loose upon the axle; but a ratchetwheel F is fixed to the axle alongside the disk and. normally engaged by a spring-actuated pawl F upon the disk, the arrangement being such that the forward rotation of the axle compels the like rotation of the disk, while the rearward rotation of the axle is without effect upon the disk because of the slipping of the pawl. The pawl may be moved out of engagement for any desired interval by means Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are sections on the require perfect alinement may be secured.

'No novelty is found in the devices through which the lugs upon the disk operated the dropping-rod.

In order that alinement may be readily made, it is necessary that the points where seed is deposited should be accurately and distinctly marked, and with this fact in viewI have devised certain mechanism which stamps across the track of each wheel and at proper points very conspicuous marks. These marks are made by plates Gr, extending across the rim of each wheel at diametrically opposite points, bent at right angles just within the plane of the wheels and pivoted to the ends of bars G, loosely mounted upon the axle, the pivotal union being such that the plates may swing against the wheel-rim, but cannot swing outward beyond normal position. It follows that when they travel around with the rim they strike the earth when below the axle, swing against the wheel-rim, and are pressed into the ground bythe weight of the machine and without any strain upon the bar. Alongside each bar is a ratchet-wheel H, preferably separated from the bar by a spring-disk H to afiord a slight frictional resistance to the independent rotation of the bar, and on the bar is a springpressed pawl H normally engaging the ratchet-wheel and in such manner that forward rotation of the axle must be accompanied by like rotation of the bar. The pawl may be released, freeing the bar from the axle, by means of a conical sleeve I sliding on the axle and by passing under a projection upon the pawl, moving the latter outward. The sleeve is actuated by the forked arm of a bell-crank lever I, pivoted upon the frame and having its other arm connected by a link I with an arm 1 upon a transverse rock-shaft J, mounted upon the frame in front of the wheelsand rocked forwardly by a foot-lever J. A strong spring J 2 resists the rocking and restores the shaft to position when it is released. When the shaft is rocked forward, it is automatically locked against return by a latch K, which engages a pin upon the foot-lever; but it may be instantly released at anytime by raising this latch. When the cone lifts the pawl out of engagement in the manner just explained,

the bar is carried on with the wheel and axle by friction until it is arrested by an arm L, carried by the rock-shaft, and thrown rearward by the forward rocking. The machine may now be turned or moved from place to place while the markers are thus held out of action. The parts are so proportioned and arranged that if the dropper-operating disk be brought to a predetermined position and the latch be then raised, releasing the rockshaft and the markers, the latter move on with the axle and reach marking position just in time to mark the points at which seed has been deposited, and thereafter the two markers on each wheel mark at intervals corresponding exactly with the spaces between successive hills so long as the planter advances precisely the proper theoretical distance for each revolution of its wheels. For well-known reasons there is often a slight lag in the advance of the planter, and the seed is dropped slightly before proper alinement is reached. By means of the two clutch mechanisms both dropping and marking may be readily delayed at any time so much as is necessary to correct fault of alinement, and this may be accomplished almost instantly While the machine isadvancing or more deliberately by stopping and carefully adjusting both dropping and marking devices. It is to be observed that this arrangement not only saves much time lost in arranging check- .row wires but also permits discarding much mechanism and materially reduces thecost of the planter. 1

\Vhat I claim is 1. The combination witha frame, framesupporting wheels and a wheel-driven axle, of dropper-operating devices, a member primarily revoluble upon the axle and adapted to, actuate said devices when it rotates, a

ratchet-wheel fixed to the axle alongside said.

member, a spring-pawl carried by saidmember and. normally engaging the ratchet-wheel, 1

without the rim in the wheels plane, hinged to swing toward the rim under pressure, and arranged to be adjusted around the periphery of the wheel.

.4. The combination with a planter-wheel of a marker in the plane of the wheel, transverse to the rim and hinged to swing toward the same, and means for at will compelling the marker to revolve with the rim during any desired interval only.

5. The combination with a planter-wheel and axle, of connected markers located radially just beyond the wheel-rim, a friction device constantly urging the marker to accompany the wheel in its rotation, means for arand its wheel-driven axle, of markers located radially just without the wheel-rim and revoluble independently of the same, devices frictionally urging the markers to accompany the wheel in its rotation, means for at will arresting and releasing the markers at a certain point in their frictionally produced movement, and means for at will positively compelling the markers to rotate with the wheel.

7. The combination with a planter-frame, wheels and axle, of dropper-operating devices, a member revolubly mounted upon the axle and arranged to operate said devices when it rotates, and means for at will locking said member to the axle and for releasing it therefrom.

8. The combination with a planter-frame, wheels and axle, of marker devices consisting of diametrical bars revolubly mounted upon the axle alongside the wheels, respectively, and provided at their ends with markers extending over the wheel-rims, means for at will locking'the marker devices to the axle and for releasing them therefrom, stops movable into and out of position for arresting the released markers at fixed points, and means whereby actuating the marker locking and releasing devices also actuates said stops.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JOSEPH W. WHITE.

Witnesses:

LABAN C. FLEAK,

H. B. DARDEN. 

